Bang! Bang! Helping your Dog Manage Noise Phobia

The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Grafton has another great and timely article about helping your dog deal with noises, such as from fireworks.

The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Grafton has another great and timely article about helping your dog deal with noises, such as from fireworks. While you're at it check out this one on Keeping Your Pets Safe at Cookouts.

Fourth of July is a perfect example of a situation where a dog may exhibit fearful behaviors in response to a noise-related event. He may do so when he actually hears the fireworks, when he’s in places where he’s heard the sound previously, or when he sees an object or person who has been associated with a noise. Noise phobia is not a training issue or an obedience problem. Noise sensitivity and phobias are medical conditions that are diagnosed and for which you may need to seek the help of a veterinarian or veterinary behaviorist.

Some dogs may pant or salivate excessively, destroy property, tremble, soil the house, hide or escape when they hear a noise that upsets them. Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM, of Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University provides insight into what owners can do to reduce the intensity of frightening sounds that may be causing your dog problems.

Treatment of Noise Phobias

Treatment includes behavior modification techniques like desensitization, counter-conditioning or a combination of both. These techniques involve eliminating or controlling the dog’s exposure to the stimulus. There are also some nutritional and pharmaceutical products that can be employed.

1) Desensitization to Sounds

This can be done using an audio recording of the sounds that the dog fears. There are tapes, records, CDs and internet sites that mimic all sorts of noises, including exploding fireworks, car backfires and even gunshots. You can initially start by playing the tape at full volume once to confirm that the simulated noise is what is actually frightening the dog. If it is, you start by turning the volume low enough that your dog will no react. Reward him with praise and treats for his calm behavior. Once he is comfortable with that low volume, you may increase the volume incrementally over successive days, as he adjusts to each increase. Continue to rewarding him/her for relaxed behavior with yummy food treats that are only given during your desensitization exercises. Your dog will set the pace for this process. If he or she starts to show anxiety, go back a few steps to a tolerable lower volume.

Desensitization will not be effective if your dog is exposed to the actual source of the frightening sound during this process. Therefore, all efforts should be made to avoid anything that will trigger the dog’s panic response.

2) Counterconditioning

Counterconditioning, another approach often used in conjunction with desensitization, involves teaching a new behavior that is inconsistent with the undesirable behavior. For instance, when your dog is anxious, you would tell him/her to “lie down” in his/her “safe place.” During this time provide your dog with something to do, for example, providing a long-lasting treat. This treat would only be given when he/she is in the safe place and responding to your “sit-stay” or “down” command. Keep in mind that punishment with either behavior modification or counterconditioning is not appropriate for managing noise phobia as it will make the anxiety worse.

3) Nutraceutical and Pharmaceutical Treatment

Some dogs may benefit from the use of nutritional supplements or medication as a part of their treatment. Anxitane (L-theonine) and 5-HTP tryptophan are amino acids that may be helpful in decreasing a dog’s anxiety, fear and reactivity. Alternatively, medications such as SSRIs (Prozac, Zoloft, etc.) may be an appropriate part of a noise phobic dog’s treatment.

Consult with an Animal Behavior Specialist

If you have made an effort to get your animal’s phobia under control and your dog is still running scared, you may find an animal behavior specialist to be helpful. These doctors of veterinary medicine have received added and specialized training in the psychology of animals and can advise you on how best to address your dog’s fear. You can reach the Foster Hospital for Small Animals Behavior Clinic at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University at 508-887-4640 to make an appointment.